New Herrington: History and Landscape

When searching for hotels in New Herrington, start by asking whether you are more interested in the area’s development or its landscape. The settlement’s history can be read in its rows of houses and street names; Herrington Country Park has bodies of water, a designated wildlife area and footpaths along Herrington Burn. These differences give you a factual basis for deciding which themes you would like to include in your stay.

New Herrington: Settlement and Defence History

According to the first Ordnance Survey edition of 1857, New Herrington consisted of three rows of terraced houses north of Philadelphia Works and the Dorothea shaft of Newbottle Colliery. By 1896, Fenton Terrace, Lanton Street, Railway Terrace and Langley Street, as well as a chapel, had been added. The rows of houses added later remain today, although individual buildings may have been altered. The area’s development can therefore be seen in several stages: from the rows first recorded to the streets and chapel added later.

Another historical landmark is the New Herrington pillbox bunker. It is one of a pair and forms part of an inland defence line built of reinforced concrete, constructed in 1940–1941. The defensive line encircled Sunderland and was intended to protect the city’s western outskirts in the event of an invasion on the east coast. The settlement’s expansion in the 19th century and the defence planning of the Second World War thus represent different chapters in the area’s history.

Herrington Country Park: Water and Paths

A chain of seven lakes and ponds runs through Herrington Country Park along Herrington Burn. Individual bodies of water and habitat management may change. Foxcover Wood in the park is designated as a local wildlife site. Alongside its bodies of water, these features give the park a distinct connection with nature, without guaranteeing that particular wildlife will be seen.

The park can be reached from the residential areas to its south via footpaths along Herrington Burn. Path conditions and signage may change; check them before your visit. If you would like to include the landscape and footpaths in your plans, this access point on the south side is a useful reference. The seven lakes and ponds form a continuous description of the landscape along the burn; however, you should not assume that individual bodies of water will remain unchanged.

Landscape and Orientation

The large fields south of New Herrington border the Limestone Escarpment. At the same time, the land slopes south and west into the Wear Valley. Views from New Herrington are more restricted and screened by vegetation, buildings and other urban infrastructure. The slope describes the shape of the landscape, but does not mean that you will have an unobstructed view from every part of the area.

Bus services may also be relevant to your travel plans. Bus stops are immediately adjacent to Kitchener Terrace. A 2018 planning framework lists regular services from there to Sunderland City Centre, Doxford Park and Chester-le-Street. Check the current timetable for a specific journey, as the services listed and their frequency should not be assumed to reflect today’s timetable.

Discover more destinations: Washington, Whickham, Holystone, Hebburn, East Boldon, North Shields, Seaton Burn.

Back to the main travel overview: Tyne And Wear.